Raising Hell
by Cooper Sterling
Summary: "Almost as soon as he said that, voices, real human voices became distinguishable to their ears. Real human voices.. That didn't shriek or scream, that weren't punctuated by coughs, that didn't groan, that didn't cry, or growl.. real Survivors' voices."


**So.. been playing alot of L4D lately.. doing.. character research. Yes. We'll call it character research.**

"I still kinda feel bad about them dying.."

"Don't. Those girls had it coming."

"Yeah.. And I still feel bad about it."

The man in the driver's seat, a pale blue eyed, well muscled, professional ass kicker going by the name of Tallahassee, paused to look at his companion on the passenger side. The younger man squirmed under his look, looking down, then out the window, before he went on, ignoring the look he was faced with.

"I mean, sure they scammed us.. and acted like bitches.. But I don't think they deserved what they had coming."

"What the hell did they think was gonna happen?" Tallahassee snorted and looked forward, once more putting his eyes where they belonged, on the road.

"I mean, yeah, what a great idea. Lets go to an amusement park and light it up and start all the rides. The fucking zombies are attracted by car alarms.. I mean, really? Got what they deserved."

Columbus sighed. It was already evident where they each stood on the matter. But still, you couldn't blame a guy for trying to make conversation. A conversation that didn't revolve around women, guns, or cars. Sure, he'd tried to start a few conversations about something he actually enjoyed, like World of Warcraft or video games, but those were always met with the same 'wtf' look and silence from the other man. Columbus had learned to pick a topic they'd disagree on, if only so he'd get some response.

"At least it was quick.." He mused, looking out the side window.

"I guess... I didn't even know Hunters could jump that high." Tallahassee chuckled. "That one sure worked for its supper."

Columbus cringed involuntarily. The image of a hunter ripping at the girls, splattering blood and dropping limbs to the waiting horde below.. was not one of his favorites. And not just because of the fact it was the girls who had suffered the fate.. He could tell deep down that either they were really just that conceited, or wanted to do something suicidal and fun as their final act... Either way, they had made an obviously wrong choice, and they only had themselves to blame. No, the thing that always got him with that image was simply the gory content. It was something one had to get used to in a world full of zombies, but it didn't mean one had to like it.

Which was also another matter Tallahassee disagreed on. But one that Columbus didn't bring up, simply because he had enough nightmare material as it was. He didn't need anymore gorey scenes to add to the horrifying pool.

"Yanno, that kinda reminds me.." Tallahassee started, then trailed off, looking somewhere in the distance.

"Reminds you of..?" Columbus questioned.

"..do you see that?" Was his only answer.

"See what?" Was Columbus's responding question, before he leaned forward, peering ahead curiously. Then he saw what the older man had indicated.

"Hey.. that's smoke. But.. I thought any fires started would have burned themselves out by now."

"Yeah.. yeah, you would think that." Tallahassee replied, as he smoothly started to turn the wheel, and guide the car in the direction.

"And I'm pretty fucking sure there isn't a flaming style infected yet." He added.

As they neared, driving through the twisting roads of a smaller town, while the sun continued to set in the west, it was apparent it wasn't a regular infected, or some horrendously mutated, flaming zombie. A helicopter lay on its side, the rotor twisted and broken. Flames danced along it, casting an eerie red glow to the surrounding road, while supplies one might find in a hard-to-reach safehouse littered the pavement around it.

"What the hell.. Oh shit.. That must have been one of those evac helicopters.. I thought.. That they all stopped running pick ups a week ago." Columbus said, eyes watching curiously. That was the main reason they themselves hadn't proceded to an evac point. No use in running the gauntlet if there was no where to run to. It was better to just survive on your own until you had hard facts on something. Or got killed. The latter was the most likely option.

They circled around the burning wreck at a safe distance, Tallahassee taking potshots at zombies through his window, Columbus still staring wide eyed at the window. It was him who saw the three figures as they rounded to the other side, and him who perked up excitedly in his seat.

"Tallahassee! There's people over there!"

Almost as soon as he said that, voices, real human voices became distinguishable to their ears. Real human voices.. That didn't shriek or scream, that weren't punctuated by coughs, that didn't groan, that didn't cry, or growl.. honest to god... living.. Survivor's voices.

"Louis.. She's dead. Nothing you can do." A wizened, gruff voice spoke.

"Come on.. She can't be. Not now.. We just made it through all that.. and now." A lighter voice replied, trying to hold onto some shred of hope and optimism.

"Maybe she's just knocked out.. We can patch her up and she'll be fine."

"Fine aside from the chunk of metal twisted through her chest. She'd dead. Get over it." The third voice was gruff, but in a way that suggested its owner wasn't kind.. In a way that suggested its owner wanted you to hand over your wallet that instant, before he had to shoot you. A more threatening kind of gruff, versus the wizened of the first.

Tallahassee slowly just drove their car forward, until each figure was fully visible in the smokey red light.

"Sonovabitch.." Columbus heard Tallahassee mutter, before their windows were rolled down, and he could peek his head out for a closer look at the three. The first looked like some sort of military man, dressed in old, dark green fatigues. He was bearded, and silver haired.. So obviously an older military man, Columbus thought that strange.. surely all of the military forces would be together, even if they were old. Old enough to be his grandpa, and with a cigarette rolling around in his mouth. . The second was a black man, bald, and in a white shirt. The shirt was spattered here and there with red, almost the exact same shade as his tie. The third man was as intimidating as Tallahassee almost. Tattoos ran the length of his arms, and he was dressed in leathers, with a chain here and there. He seemed to have a definite tough biker aura around him. Columbus swallowed nervously.

To his left, Tallahassee spoke up.

"Well, if it isn't little brother.."


End file.
